UAE Breaks New Ground in Trademark Law: Sound, Scent, and Hologram Marks Now Recognized

An enhanced intellectual property (IP) system’s launch has been announced by senior officials in the UAE, providing companies and individuals with the opportunity to register trademarks across a diverse range of forms, including sounds, scents, geographical indication marks, and holograms.

Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, publicized the advancements during the unveiling ceremony held in Dubai, highlighting the ministry’s commitment to expanding trademark registration by incorporating new categories of non-traditional trademarks. Abdulla Al Saleh, under-secretary of foreign trade and industry at the Ministry of Economy, emphasized the significance of the updated laws implemented in 2021, which replaced the previous framework with a comprehensive system for intellectual property rights.

The UAE’s legislative and policy steps over the past several years have resulted in significant expansion in the new economy sectors, as more individuals and companies continue to tap into the country’s growth potential. There was a notable increase in the quantity of trademark registration applications in 2023—a 9.6% increase over the previous year. Additionally, there was a 29.5% rise in the registration of intellectual works and a 2.9% increase in the number of registered marks.

Key highlights of the new intellectual property system include:

• Innovation Hub: An online platform offering technical guidance and assistance for patent registration to UAE creators.
• Patent Hive: Aiming for 6,000 new patent registrations by 2026 to bolster innovation.
  Emirati ‘Fahes’ Initiative: Enhancing the skills and competitiveness of Emirati talents in intellectual property.
• InnovLAB: Strengthening innovation incubators and providing support.
• InstaBlock: Addressing complaints regarding livestream copyright infringements.
• IP Sport: Increasing the number of registered trademarks in the UAE’s sports sector.
• One Day TM: Facilitating expedited issuance of trademark registration certificates within a single business day.
• IP Platform: Integrating data from various government departments to enforce intellectual property rights.
• ‘Hayyakom’ Initiative: Launched in conjunction with the UAE’s hosting of the INTA Meeting.
• IP School Program: Developing training programs for intellectual property endorsed by the World Intellectual Property Organization.
• Virtual Character ‘Aisha’: Engaging the public and raising awareness about intellectual property rights through events and social media platforms.

The new system revolves around four main pillars: protecting intellectual property rights, minimizing infringements and resolving conflicts, supporting research and development-based projects, enhancing patent services using AI technology, and promoting intellectual property protection results domestically and internationally.

Minister Al Marri emphasized that this initiative aligns with the UAE’s vision to emerge as a global hub for the new economy and aims to achieve unparalleled prosperity by 2031. The number of business licenses linked to creative activities registered in the country reached 932,000 by the end of the first half of 2023, the ministry reported in November. Data and indicators “validate the progressive expansion of the UAE’s intellectual property sector”, Mr bin Touq said. The ministry is also currently coordinating with relevant organizations and authorities to broaden the scope of trademark registration by including new categories of trademarks, he said.